Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Women, Havdalah, Wine, Beer and Body Hair

I was looking for the origin of the myth that women drinking Havdalah wine will grow either beards or mustaches. This was somewhat urgent, as my little 3 year daughter insists on drinking most of the grape juice I use every week.This article by Ari Z. Zivotofsky (quite a name) entitled "Wine from Havdalah, Women and Beards" examines the issue in some depth. I recommend you read the entire article, though below I've collected some of the more interesting tidbits from the article:

The origin of women not drinking Havdalah wine (among other halachic reasons he explores):

The reason originally mentioned by the Shla6 is that because the

Eitz Hada’at, the tree of knowledge, was a grape vine7 from which

Chava squeezed wine in order to separate from man, a wish she was

granted via dam niddah, menstrual blood, she does not partake of

the havdalah (separation) wine.

...

Despite the widespread mention in later sources attesting to this

custom, it appears to be a custom of relatively recent vintage [Nice Pun!], with

the first written source being the early 17th century. The lack of a

written source does not preclude the possibility that a custom existed

but is simply not attested to in writing.

On the origin of the hair myth:

The closest written source I have found is a cryptic remark in

the “hashmatot section” of Sefer Matamim (Rav Yitzchak Lipiyatz,

p. 242 in 5753 reprint, p. 144 in 1891 edition) where he explains

that it is because women do not have beards that they are prohibited

(!) from drinking the havdalah wine. He offers no explanation

for this seemingly bizarre connection. But one could imagine that

such a statement could easily lead others to conclude that if she did

drink it, she would grow a beard. However, despite the inclusion of

this statement in Sefer Matamim (originally published in 1891), it

does not seem to have been a widespread idea, and I have been unable

to find it recorded elsewhere.

A possible theory:

the Gemara asserts that drinking beer causes unwanted hair on females, and it wasgirls who drank beer who required the use of the described methodsto remove the unwanted hair.

In Eastern Europe wine was a rarity. The Aruch HaShulchan

(OC 182:1) explains that despite the halachik obligation, they did

not bentch over wine simply because it was very expensive.21 According

to all opinions chamar medina may be used for havdalah

(MB 271:56). Because of the difficulty in obtaining wine, it is possible

that in Eastern Europe beer was the beverage commonly used.

for havdalah and hence women were advised not to drink it because

beer, not the havdalah beverage, causes unwanted hair. This bubba

meise that was originally based on the specific beverage22 was eventually